Strip feed sprocket device



NOV. 7, 944. A, s HOWELL 2,362,204

STRIP FEED SPROGKET DEVICE Filed June 17, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Figa 244% ,2 f6' IM/ENTER @ALBERT E HWEL-L' EY//f/fifiw ATTY.

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Nov. 7, 1944. A. s. HGWr-:LL 2,362,204

STRIP FEED SPROCKEIT DEVICE r Filed June 17, 1942I 2 sheets-sheet 2 f3; n P if; l INVENTUH ALBERT 5. Hmm/ELL. \v I` X\ l :",f-

e Y ATTY.

Patented Nov. 7, 1944 feed' oftheistriiitwhichis ip'articlilarly impertant 15"* provided Withiari intermediatei diametrical bore The invention?! will bei' better"t unders'tood by?" 25 Figure 6 L' is" "a partial lsection ,sub''stantiallyy onf 40" througlixfthis" f 4freine L member Y and` is suitably se:

cured therewithlthe supportiinemberfbeirgpro# the regin-1 offene eiratliereefenam surroundi'n'g`lrelation-Wit the'bre; 3'=`of thesbp'ort by -m'eans' of anti-friction bearig-ro11ersf B'interbo'sed between f theffborei f5'ai'1d la i circumferential 4surface" 'ifotthe supportYm'inber2;?anda ball thrust bearing 8 is interposed betweenraninternal flangey 9 ion3 the `outer -endfoflth roller and7 an opposing`V shoulder4A surfacev I I fof Tthe support Irhehfiberf 2 'to ing isdisposed'in"theregion of the'roller 4 Zand` isl` mounted' on' thes'pport `2 "'for {movement-ra# dialiy thereof andficon'seluent'ly `for' movement of theshait relative to' theTolleri'ldiallythereof.I

The upper. portion` ofth bearing member 3``1s'- provided'fwith an axialbore Iii/communicating with the bearing bore l5, anda `bearing;Sblock`y I1 lisfslidetloly mountedin'thbor I6 a'lld'is yieldelel'yfurged anto ifea-ringi engagement with the Thefilowerpertln of the bearing 'member 'l 3 lisprovide'd Witha-blihdw-axial bore IBQFand-aSpring 2 lj engaged: iii-:this borej'is l'oplerativefbetvveen the support member 2 and the bearing member I3 to yieldably urge 'this bearing member and' consequertly vvthe shaft l2 f upwardly" and radially of there-llera; f

Ah' axially bored* traii"srr'lission' member 22 f" is rotatably "mountedbyfmeansof (its borev on the other 'fend fof fth l support `memb'er '2 inl approxiel mately! coaxial relation with the'f roller- 4; end thrust`` Of'thetransmissionmember being pre`- vented' by al`screwstl`ldi23` screw-threaded 'intotl'lel transmission membrradally thereof and* ai bear; *ing roller 24 rotatablymountedon;theinnerfendfL angularly spaced radial universal joint slots 3l on the corresponding end of the transmission member 22, to provide a universal joint device between the transmission member and the shaft I2 and disposed axially remote from the roller 4 to permit movement of the shaft relative to this roller radially thereof as provided by the slidably mounted bearing member I3. A spring 32, operative between the transmission member 22 and the universal joint member 28 axially of the shaft l2, yieldably urges the shaft axially in the direction inwardly of the outer end of the roller 4 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A sprocket 33, provided with angularly spaced radial feed teeth 34, is secured on the end of the shaft l2 corresponding 'with' the outer end of the roller 4 for rotation with the shaft and is disposed immediately beyond `the outer end of this roller in approximately coaxial relation therewith for multi-toothed feeding engagement with longitudinally spaced feed perforations 35 of a strip 3S engaged on the roller 4 as hereinafter described, the strip being as shown a usual motion picture and/or sound record film strip.

A stud 31 is slidably mounted in a vertical diametrical bore 38 through the support member 2 inwardly of and adjacent the inner end of the roller 4, the stud 31 being provided with an intermediate, vertically elongated bore 39 through which the shaft l2 extends, this bore permitting vertical movement of the stud with reference to the shaft, as best shown in Figure 3.

An arcuate guide member 4I is secured o-n the upper end of the stud 31 by means of a headed screw 42. The guide member 4l overlies the upper portion of the roller 4. and is disposed in arcuate correspondence with the upper portion of the periphery of the roller and extends out- Wardly beyond the outer end of theY roller, the guide member being maintained against angular movement on the axis of thestud 31 by a vertically disposed pin 43 secured on the support member 2 in spaced relationwith the stud 31 and slidably engaging a slot 44 on the inner end of the guide member.

By reason of the slide mounting of the stud 31, the guide member 4l ismovable vertically from -a lower position in adjacent strip guiding relation with the roller 4, as shown in Figures l, 6 and 8, to an uperpo-sition out of strip guiding-relation for insertion and removal of the strip with respect to the guide formed by the roller 4 and guide member 4l, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

A spring 45, within the bore 38 and encircling the stud 31, is operative between the support member 2 and the stud 31 to yieldably urge the guide member 4l downwardly and to normally maintain the same in its lower strip guiding position, and a manually actuable lever 46 is intermediately pivoted on the support member 2, as designated at 41, and has one end engaged in a transverse slot '43 on the stud 31 for the convenient actuation of the guide member 4l into its upper non-guiding position.

The guide member 4l is provided with three downwardly projecting and facing concave guide portions I, 52 and 53 spaced axially of the roller 4, of which the guide portions 5| and 52 are disposed respectively opposite the inner and outer end portions 54 and 55 of the roller 4 and of which the guide portion 53 is disposed outwardly beyond the outer end `of the roller with the sprocket 33 disposed between the guide portion 53 and the guide portion5`2adjacent thereto, it

being observed that the guide member 4l has nonguiding relation with the intermediate portion 56 of the roller 4.

When the guide member 4l is in its lower strip guiding position, it cooperates with the roller 4 in forming therewith an arcuate portion '51 of the strip 36 With which the sprocket 33 has multitoothed engagement, as best shown in Figures l, 4 and 5. The sprocket, as yieldably urged by the spring 2 l, is yieldably urged relatively to the roller 4 radially of the intermediate of the arcuate strip portion 51 into toothed engagement with the arcuate strip portion, a marginal strip perforated portion of which overhangs the outer end of the roller 4 for engagement by the sprocket. With this yieldable urge of the sprocket into toothed engagement with the arcuate portion 51 of the lm strip radially of the intermediate of the arcuate portion, the sprocket teeth are urged into toothed engagement with the strip in a manner increasingly tangential to the arcuate portion 51 as the distance of the teeth from the intermediate of the arcuate portion increases with correspondingly increasing transverse perforation edge engaging effect by the teeth. Consequently, inasmuch as the sprocket has multitoothed engagement with the arcuate strip portion and' is yieldably urged into toothed engagement therewith radially of the intermediate of the arcuate strip portion, this yieldable urge of the rotated sprocket constantly maintains two sprocket teeth-in opposing contact with oppositely disposed transverse edges of the respectively engaged strip perforations 35, thus maintaining a constantly fixed two-way connection lbetween the sprocket and film` strip, irrespective of variations of the spacing of the feed perforations of the strip and accommodating for such variations by the radial movement of the sprocket as radially urged into toothed engagement with lthe strip.

Furthermore, the transfer of control of the strip from one pair of sprocket teeth to another pair is obviously gradual so that jerkiness in the feed of the film by reason of the sequential engagement of the sprocket teeth with the feed perforations of the strip is minimized. As an example, in Figure 4, three sprocket teeth 34a, 34h and 34e are engaged in corresponding feed perforations 35 of the strip, the tooth 34h being alinedA with the radial movement of the sprocket. In this position of the sprocket, the teeth 34a and 34e are in opposing contact with oppositely disposed transverse edges of the respectively engaged strip perforations, the sprocket tooth 341, between the teeth 34a and 34e, being thus in centered or non-controlling relation with its strip perforation or being what might be called neutral Withrespect thereto.

Assuming, counterclockwise movement of the sprocket from the position of Figure 4 to that of Figure 5, a fourth sprocket tooth 34e following the tooth 34e additionally engages a corresponding strip perforation, thus transferring control of the film to the sprocket tooth 34e in cooperation with the tooth 34s and rendering the tooth 34C neutral as well as maintaining the tooth 341 neutral. Further counterclockwise movement of the sprocket again attains the condition of Figure 4 but in which the teeth 34h, 34e and 34e attain the positions respectively of the teeth 34a, 34s and 34C in Figure fi and the teeth 34h and 34e control the film with the tooth 34e neutral, and so on. Variations of the strip perforation spacing are accommodated for by corresponding ageemaozi radial movement of' the4 sprocket` under control of. the spring Zl.

The endl portions# 5li anc-125:5 of! the roller." 4f are of lesser radius-f thanl thel intermediate portion 56 thereof; and theguideportiorisil, 52 andi 53 of the guide member Hi', whenl instrip4 guiding relation withlth'e rollenare spaced radially of Athe roller approximately at'theradius of the convex surface of the arcuiiitev strip' portion 51 as established' by the intermediateffportion- 56 of the roller', as. showninlFigures 1': and 8, so that when a splice 58, see- Figure 8, passes over the roller, the edge'portions ofthe strip are bentin ward' for thepassageof the splice, it being observed that the guide member 4l'v has non-guiding relation with the intermediateportion: 56ofthe rol-ler for the passa-geofthe splice;

A strip edge guide flange4 6I isformed on the inner endrof the roller 4 for engagement with the inner edge ofI the arcuate strip portion 51, see

Fi'gurerl, andan opposing'strlp edge guide flange v62 is secured on the shaft I2 outwardly of the sprocket 33forfengagementrwith the cuter edge ofthe arcuatestrip'portion, these opposing edge guide flanges edgewiseconning the .arcuatestrip e portion. The ilange'tZ4 is. secured on the shaft I 2 together with the sprocket 33 by means of a headed screw 63 screwtl'lreaded.v into the outer end of the shaft l2 and clamping theV sprocket 33 and liange 6'2 between it? and ashoulder 64fon thefshaft.

The spring 32 yieldablyy urges the shaft l2` axially and with it the edge guide 'ange 62 toward the edge guide flange 6l to maintain accurate edge guiding of the-arcuate stripportion 51.

A pin 65 is secured'on and Within the stud 31 and projects upwardly into-the bore 39 of the stud. See Figures 1 and' 2. The upper end of the pin 65 is tapered, as'designated at 66, and is engageable into aA circumferential groove 61 of the shaft I2 with upward movement' of the stud 31 and consequent positioning of the guide member 4| out of guiding relation' with the roller 4.

The side of the groove 61 facing in the direction i inwardly from the outer end of the roller 4 is tapered, as designatedat 68.

When the guide member 4| is moved upwardly out of guiding relation with the roller 4 by upward movement of the stud`31, the pin 65 engages the bottom of the groove 61 to position the sprocket 33 radially upward in strip perforation engaging position and the taper 66 engages the tapered side 68 of the groove 61 to also position the sprocket andl guide flange 62 axially against the influence of the spring 32 ata distance from the guide flange 6| greater than normal to facilitate insertion and removal of the .nlm strip 36. See Figure 2.

While I have thus described my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details described, as changes maybe readily made without departing fromrthe spirit of my invention, but

having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desi-re to secure by Letters Patent the following:

1. vIn a strip feed sprocket device, the combina- :tion of guide means forming an arcuate portion Hof a feed perforated strip', a rotatable sprocket disposedy in approximately coaxial relation with said arcuate stri-p portion and having multifandyieldable means urging saidsprocket vradially lrio into toothed engagementswith said arcuate strip portion;

2. In a strip `feed `v`sprocket. device, :the combina,- tion of a". rotatable` rollen, a: cooperating guide member provided with a concave guide portion forming with=said roller anarcuateportionl oi a feedperforatedistrip on said roller, a rotatable sprocket disposed in approximately coaxial relation withsaidiroller and having multi-toothed engagement-with said. arcuate strip portion and mountedfor movement relative to said roller ra diallyof the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, and yieldable means urging said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate stripportion.

3. In a strip feed sprocket device, the'A combination of a bored supportpa biired'roller` rotatably` mountedv thereon in surrounding` relation with the bore of said support, guide means` cooperating with said` roller to formy an arcuate portion of a` feed perforated; stripon` said roller, a rotatable shaftextending: longitudinally in the bore of said support in approximately coaxial relation with said` roller and mounted'for move# ment relative to `said roller radially of the intermediate of said' arcuatestrip portiomia'sprocket secured on said shaft and having multi-toothed engagement with said -arcuatestrip portion; and yieldable means operative on said-shaft and urgL ing said sprocket into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion.

4. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a bored support', a bored, roller rotatably mounted thereon in surrounding relation with the bore of said-support, guide meansjcooperating with said roller to forman arcuate portion of a feed perforatedy strip on saidroller, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally in the bore of said support in approximately coaxial relation with said roller, a sprocket secured on said shaft and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion, a transmission mem'- ber rotatably mounted on said support inapproximately coaxial relation-withv said roller, a'uni versal driving joint devicebetweenvsaid transmission member and said shaft and disposed axially remote from said roller, a bearing disposed in the region of said roller and in which said shaft is journaled and'inounted on said support for movement relative to'said roller radially of the intermediate of said arcuate stripportion, and yieldable means urging said bearingin` the direction toothedlyr engaging said sprocket with said arcuate stripportion.`

5. In a strip feed sprocket device, the. combination of guide means forming an arcuate por' tion of a feed perforated strip,v a rotatable sprocket disposed in approximately coaxial relation xmth said arcuate ,strip portion and having multitoothed. engagement therewithand mounted for movement relative to said guide means radially of the intermediate of and axially of said arenate'strip portion, opposing strip edge guide elements for edgewise conlining` saidarcuate'strip portion therebetween and al first' of which is axially fixed with said sprocket and a second of which is mounted independently of said sprocket, .and yieldable means urging `said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and said sprocket and first edge guide element axially of the ysprocket toward said second edge guide element.

6. In a strip` feed sprocketdevice, the combination o'f a rotatable roller, a c ooperatingrguide "member provided with a concave guide portion forming with said roller an arcuate portion of a feed perforated strip on said roller, a rotatable sprocket disposed in approximately coaxial relation with said roller and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and mounted for movement relative `to said roller axially thereof and radially of vthe intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, opposing strip edge guide flanges respectively axially fixed with said roller and sprocket for edgewise confining said arcuate strip portion therebetween, and yieldable means urging said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion vand said sprocket and the edge guide flange axially xed therewith toward the edge guide fiange axially xed on said roller.

'7. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a bored support, of a bored roller rotatably mounted thereon in surrounding relation with the bore of said support, guide means cooperating with said roller to form an arcuate portion of a feed perforated strip on said roller,` a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally in the bore of said support in approximately coaxial relation with said roller and mounted for movement relative to said roller axially thereof and radially of the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, a sprocket secured on said shaft and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion, opposing strip edge guide elements for edgewise confining said arcuate strip portion therebetween a first of which comprises a flange'fixed with said sprocket and a second of which is mounted independently of said sprocket, and yieldable means operative on said shaft and urging said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and said sprocket and said edge guide iiange axially of the sprocket toward said second edge guide element.

8. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a bored support, a bored roller rotatably mounted thereon in surrounding relation with the bore of said support, guide means cooperating with said roller to form an arcuate portion of a feed perforated strip on said roller, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally in the bore of said support in approximately coaxial relation with said roller, a sprocket secured on said shaft and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion, a transmission member rotatably mounted on said support in approximately coaxial relation with said roller, a universal and axial slip driving joint device between said transmission member and said shaft and disposed axially remote from said roller, a bearing disposed in the region of said roller and in which said shaft is journaled and mounted for movement relative to said roller radially of the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, opposing strip edge guide iianges respectively axially xed with said roller and sprocket for edgewise confining said arcuate strip portion therebetween, yieldable means urging said bearing in the' direction toothedly engaging said sprocket withsaid arcuate strip portion, and a second yieldable means urging said shaft axially in the direction to move the edge guide flange fixed with said sprocket toward the edge guide flange xed with said roller.

9. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a convex member, a cooperating guide member forming with said convex member an arcuate portion of a feed perforated'strip on said convex member and mounted for movement to and from adjacent guiding relation therewith, a rotatable sprocket disposed in approximately coaxial relation with said convex member and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion andmounted for movement relative to said convex member radially of the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, yieldable means urging said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion, and positioning means operatively connected with said cooperating guide member for positioning said sprocket in strip perforation engaging position when said Vcooperating guide member is out of said guiding relation.

10. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a rotatable roller, a cooperating guide member provided with a concave guide portion forming with said roller an arcuate portion of a feed perforated strip on said roller and mounted for movement to and from adjacent gui-ding relation therewith, a rotatable sprocket disposed in approximately coaxial relation with sai-d roller and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and mounted for movement relative to said roller axially thereof and radially of the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, opposing strip edge guide elements for edgewise confining said arcuate strip portion therebetween a rst of which comprises a flange fixed with said sprocket and a secon-d of which is mounted independently of said sprocket, yieldable means operative on said sprocket and urgmg said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and said sprocket and flange axially of rthe sprocket toward said second edge guide element, and positoning means operatively connected with said cooperating guide member for positioning said sprocket and ange axially at a distance from said second guide element greater than normal when said cooperating guidev member is out o1 said guiding relation.

ll. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a convex member having one portion of lesser radius than another portion thereof, a cooperating guide member having non-guiding relation with the greater radius portion of said convex member and provided with a concave guide `portion disposed opposite the lesser radius portion of said convex member and forming therewith an arcuate portion of a feed perforated strip on said convex member, said guide portion of said cooperating guide member being spaced radially of said convex member approximately at theradius of the convex surface of said arcuate strip portion as established by the greater radius portion of said convex member, a rotatable sprocket disposed in approximately coaxial relation with said convex member and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and mounted for movment relative to said convex member radially of the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, and yieldable means urging said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion.

12. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a rotatable roller having its end portions of lesser radius than the intermediate portion thereof, a cooperating guide member having non-guiding relation with the intermediate portion of said roller and provided with concave guide portions spaced axially of said roller and disposed respectively opposite the end portions of said roller and forming therewith an arcuate portion of a feed perforated strip on said roller, said guide portions of said `cooperating guide member' being spaced radially of said roller approximately at the radius of the convex surface of said arcuate strip portion as established by the intermediate portion of said roller, a rotatable sprocket beyond one end of said roller and disposed in v approximately coaxial relation therewith and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and mounted for movement relative to said convex member radially of the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, and yieldable means urging said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate stri-p portion.

13. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a rotatable roller having its end portions of lesser radius than the intermediate portion thereof, a cooperating guide member having non-guiding relation with the intermediate portion of said roller and provided with three ooncave guide portions spaced axially of said roller and two of which are disposed respectively opposite the end portions of said roller and the third of which is disposed beyond one end of said roller and forming therewith an arcuate portion of a feed perforated strip on said roller, said guide portions of said cooperating guide member being spaced radially of said roller approximately at the radius of the convex surface of said arcuate strip portion as established by the intermediate portion of said roller, a rotatable sprocket beyond said end of said roller and between said thirdv guide portion and the guide portion adjacent thereto of said cooperating guide member and disposed in approximately coaxial relation with said roller and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and mounted for movement relative to said roller radially of the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, and yieldable means urging said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion.

14. In a strip feed sprocket device, the combination of a rotatable roller having its end portions of lesser radius than the intermediate portion thereof, a cooperating guide member having vnon-guiding relation with the intermediate portion of said roller and provided with three concave guide portion spaced axially of said roller and two of which are disposed respectively opposite the end portions of said roller and the third of which is disposed beyond one end of said roller and forming therewith an arcuate `portion of a feed perforated strip on said roller, said guide portions of said cooperating guide member being spaced radially of said roller approximately at the radius of the convex surface of said arcuate strip portion as established by the intermediate portion of said roller, a rotatable sprocket beyond said end of said roller and between said third guide portion and the guide p0rtion adjacent thereto of said cooperating guide member and disposed in approximately coaxial relation with said roller and having multi-toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and mounted for `movement relative to said roller axially thereof and radially of the intermediate of said arcuate strip portion, opposing strip edge guide elements for edgewise confining said arcuate strip portion therebetween a first of which comprises a flange fixed with said sprocket and a second of which is mounted independently of said sprocket, and yieldable means urging said sprocket radially into toothed engagement with said arcuate strip portion and said sprocket and said edge guide flange axially of the sprocket toward said second edge guide element.

ALBERTS. HOWELL. 

